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CORINTHIA
CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST
corinthia.com
F EB RU ARY | 201 5

INTRO
Welcome words from the general manager,
a photo what we love, and a special guest,
david Coulthard

INTERVIEW

PROGRAMS

NEWS

interview with tamas varga, our kitchens

butcher on his duties and his favorite hobbies.

plan your cultural programs with us!

We have listed a number of events
for you to enjoy.

Corinthia Hotel Budapest has been awarded

Hotel of the year 2014 in the five stars
category in Hungary

Welcome
FROM
THE GENERAL
MANAGER

dear guests,
> january, generally a slightly quieter

time compared to the seasonal

celebrations, is followed by a month full
of activity. the carnival season kicks off,
besides which valentines day and the
Chinese new year fall in february, too.
in addition to the numerous exciting
programs we offer monthly, we are
pleased to offer new events arranged
especially for your enjoyment.
roy, mascot of our themed sunday
Brunches, awaits guests with programs
typical for this time of year in the
Brasserie & Atrium restaurant. We get the
ball rolling with the lunar Brunch
featuring Asian delicacies and
entertainment, including not only Chinese
specialities but those from many other
cuisines of the far east. naturally we are
planning a special valentines day sunday
Brunch and much more.
on valentines evening, saturday, the 14th
of february, we launch a new program
series in the spotlight showcasing
local star performers. And what could be
more appropriate as the topic of the
event than love? A culinary garnish is
served alongside the performance during
this romeo and juliet evening.
special cocktails made for the occasion
are available throughout the month in
le Bar.
in this months magazine, executive Chef
pter Bolyki shares a superb recipe that is
typical for the season.
the magazine also has an interview with
one of our long-serving members of staff,
this time a colleague: tams varga, who
works in Corinthias kitchen as a butcher
since 2008.
the city is equally busy during this period,
so our Concierge team have collected the
most interesting Budapest events that are
well worth seeing.
i trust that you enjoy the february edition
of our magazine and you find within its
pages programs that meet your needs and
interests.

thomas m. fischer | generAl mAnAger

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

> CORINTHIAS LOBBY - Beautiful intricet inlaid marble viewed from the top.
fAmous guest

DAVID COULTHARD

from left: tibor meskal senior duty manager

(Corinthia Hotel Budapest), nikoletta Kovacs front
office manager (Corinthia Hotel Budapest), Adam
ruszink (under-secretary, responsible for tourism),
szabolcs szab Hotel manager (Corinthia Hotel Budapest),
susanne Kraus Winkler (president HotreC), pter farag
(Ceo, Hungarian tourism Board), kos niklai (president of the
Hungarian Association of Hotels and restaurants)

CorintHiA Hotel BudApest HAs Been AWArded

Hotel of tHe yeAr 2014
> on 24 january 2015, Corinthia

Hotel Budapest was formally

recognized as the Hotel of the
year 2014 in the five star
category in Hungary.
the Hungarian Association of
Hotels and restaurants in
cooperation with the Hungarian
tourism Board has announced
the Hotel of the year 2014
winners in three, four and five
star categories. Corinthia Hotel
Budapest has won the award in
the five star category.
According to the unanimous
decision of the jury, Corinthia
Hotel Budapest became the

winner on basis of the

outstanding results in all the
fields of the evaluation. it is a
fantastic hotel with a super
team. - said mr. istvn Kovcs,
the secretary of the Hungarian
Hotel and restaurant
Association.
the jury of the Hotel of the year
award evaluates the applications
by many factors such as the quality
of the service, innovative
solutions, key business
performance indicators and Hr
practices. Corinthia Hotel
Budapest performed exceptionally
well in these fields and on top of

all these demonstrated, how the

almost 120 years old hotel builds
on its great traditions and applies
innovative technologies and
solutions to best serve its valued
guests.
Corinthia Hotel Budapest holds
several prestigious local and
international awards. it is our
great honour to earn and receive
this title from the two most
significant organisations, which
represent the community of the
Hungarian hoteliers and
restaurateurs. - said mr. thomas
m. fischer, general manager of
Corinthia Hotel Budapest.

guestBooK

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the grand story

of CorintHiA Hotel BudApest
BY TIBOR MESKL, SENIOR MANAGER ON DUTY

The beginning - Chapter 4

> from todays modern hospitality
standards, it is very entertaining to look
back to the good old days of the grand
Hotel royal.
the clientele of the hotel was so
diversified, as to include international
travelers, business men, intellectuals,
artists and writers, that a permanently high
occupancy was almost guaranteed.
When the grand Hotel royal opened its
doors in 1896, its guests enjoyed the close
proximity to the neighborhood spa
facilities. But from 1902, the Boulevard spa
was directly connected to the hotel. Hotel
guests walked straight from their rooms to
the warm springs of the wave bath,
enjoying the soft smell of pine needle
aroma therapies, a massage after a long
train ride and the treatments of the
revolutionary elecrtic bath.
With its own spa, the royal became
famous beyond the borders of Hungary.
not only did it represent the only highclass accommodation of international
standards in the capital, but now it also
offered the relaxing and healing powers of
a spa, with all the modern facilities
yesterdays traveller could want. the hotel
was always fully booked. A viennese
businessman, who wanted to attend a
trade fair in Budapest in march 1897,
reported back home in surprise: i wonder
whether this is standard in this part of the
empire; at the royal in Budapest one
should book well in advance to secure a
room!
What sounds quite normal today was an
exception in those days. Hotels relied
mainly on walk-ins: people who arrived
and walked into the hotel and negotiated
their room on the spot. most travellers
chose spontaneously where to stay. often
the decision was influenced by a smart
gang of porters, who approached
travellers at the train stations advertising
the best or cheapest accommodation in
town. Hotels used to announce: all trains
are met by representatives of the hotel or
runners meet all ships. the royal was
also an epicentre of Hungarian patriotism.
following the consent of his majesty the
King, the royal Hungarian Automobile
Club held its inaugural meeting at the
hotel on 30 november 1900. Hungarian
intellectuals of cultural and political
influence adopted the hotel as their base.
Around 1902 a group of artists, musicians,
actors, painters, sculptors and architects
decided to establish their own artists
association, the fszek Club (meaning
nest, composed from the characters
f..s.Z.e.K., which stand for the Hungarian
words painters, architects, actors,
musicians and comedians). the first
president was Bla Krnyei, a famous
opera tenor of the time. its venue: the
royal. Coffee house headwaiter trk had
special orders to always group the most

attractive young ladies around the tables

of the nest club members. A good tip
assured his friendly attention to the
matter.
the artist jzsef rippl-rnai complained
that it was difficult to find an appropriate
space to exhibit his paintings. the hotel
manager, gyula vrady, swiftly came up
with an offer of a free room at the royal
for the duration of his first exhibition.
today his paintings sell for hundreds of
thousands of euros.
While the royal Caf was the regular
meeting place of the royal Artists Club,
other associations like. one day in 1908,
two Hungarian writers and intellectuals,
ern osvt and miksa feny, sat together
at the royal Caf. over a cup of coffee;
they discussed the foundation of a literary
and social journal. over a second cup, they
decided to call it nyugat (the West). this
was the start of a significant periodical in
the history of Hungarian literature. until
1941, the greatest writings of the first half

meet tHe stAff

INTERVIEW WITH

Tams Varga

BUTCHER OF THE KITCHEN

How long have you worked at the hotel?
i have worked at the hotel since 1 october 2008.
Which areas have you worked in, and where are you now?
i work in the kitchen as a butcher.
What are your duties?
i am primarily responsible for ensuring that the right quality and quantity of meat arrives in the hotel kitchen
and that its storage is professional and in compliance with HAACp provisions. Another very important and
difficult task is coordination between the meat sections and preparation to the highest standard.
What was your happiest experience in relation to the hotel?
my most memorable experience was in autumn 2013 when my line manager told me that in recognition of my
work i could take part in a one-week trip to paris. the trip was a fantastic success, one i will never forget. i
would like to say thank you again for the opportunity.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
i try to spend as much time with my family as possible. for relaxation, i enjoy spending time in the garden, my
familys favorite spot. naturally, cooking is one of my favorite hobbies.
What is your favorite food and drink?
given my work, i have very many dishes among my favorites, but if i had to make a choice, then i would say
nyrsg dumpling soup and baked cabbage transylvanian style. As for my favorite beverage, depending on the
circumstances, a quality coffee or a fine wine to suit the occasion.
Do you have a favorite travel destination in Hungary and abroad?
As far as i am concerned lake Balaton and surroundings is without doubt my favorite travel destination in
Hungary. it offers everything that i want. if i go abroad then the chance to discover new cultures is very
important, and naturally sunshine and beaches.

> on valentines

of the 20th century first appeared in this

periodical. the nyugat and the jnos vajda
Club organised public readings at the
royal. the royal was a regular meeting
place for freemasons, with the symbolic
grand lodge of Hungary formed in 1886. At
its height, Hungarian freemasonry boasted
more the 7,000 members. the comtrainee
presence of foreigners and travellers from
all corners of the world certainly added
sex-appeal for local artists. if there was any
opportunity to meet a potential investor
or a maecenas of Hungarian art, the grand
Hotel royal was the place to go. its coffee
house was a particularly good place to
meet foreigners. At the royal Caf all the
daily papers were available, weekly
magazines could be read, and one was
allowed to sit with one single cup of
coffee for one whole day, with a glass of
water constantly refreshed by a waiter
whose income largely depended on your
tip. the royal Caf was also the home to
what has been described as the tastiest
dobos torte in the world. the dobos
torta (dobos Cake) is Hungarys answer to
Austrias sacher torte. jzsef C. dobos
invented this cake around 1885. He wanted
to create a cake that lasted at least 10
days. the cake became the most famous of
all internationally renown Hungarian cakes.
To be continued

Brasserie & Atrium restaurant

february 14, 18:00 | priCe Huf 14,900 Huf per adult

BooK noW - cuisine.budapest@corinthia.com

evening, saturday,
february 14, we
launch a new
program series in
the spotlight
showcasing local
star performers. We
are so interested in
Celebrities lives
because we either
openly or secretly
want to be
pampered like
them. now stars
will be pampering
our guests in
Brasserie & Atrium
restaurant with a
memorable show
starting with an
intimate chat about
life in le Bar. And in
february what
could be more
appropriate as the
topic of the event
than love?
A culinary garnish
is served alongside
the performance
during this evening.
enjoy a sumptuous
a la carte dinner
and the fantastic
romeo & juliet
night show with
Hungarian
celebrities
Zsuzsanna vg and
dnes Kocsis.

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BUTTER SQUASH-COCONUT CREAM SOUP

recipe of
the month
tHe
exeCutive CHef
reCommends

> pter Bolyki joined the

hotel having already

established himself as a
highly skilled professional in
a number of countries. He
had been working for Hapag
lloyd ms Hanseatic, regent
seven seas mariner, palais
Auersperg and the
Adventure Catering and
schnbrunn orangerie. We
invite you to cook with us
and try pter's favorites

ingredients
2 tablespoons butter | 1 small onion, chopped | 10 g fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped | 1.25 kg small butternut squash, prepared and cut into
2 cm cubes | 0,5 liter coconut milk | 0,5 liter cream | Coarse salt and ground pepper
sour cream, (optional) | roasted pumpkin seeds

prepArAtion
pumpkin is one of the most popular vegetables of the winter season since it can be
served in many ways such as roasted, braised or in a soup. pumpkin combines very
well with vegetables and fruits what are grown in other climatic zones. Coconut is a
great match; its sweet flavor and silky texture compliments the taste of the pumpkin.
melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until fragrant, about 2
minutes. Add ginger, garlic, and squash; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 6 to 8
minutes. stir in 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. simmer until squash is
tender, 20 minutes.
pure soup in two batches. When blending hot foods, allow the heat to escape to
prevent splattering. remove the cap from the hole of the blender's lid, and cover with
a dish towel. stir in cream, coconut milk and 1 and a half teaspoons salt. serve hot,
with sour cream and pumpkin seeds if desired.

lunAr BrunCH
> teAser: this years spring festival marks the
arrival of the ram. indulge in a selection of the
finest oriental cuisine while surrounded by
highlight elements of Asian culture (e.g. lion
dancers). this year Chunjie, the spring festival or
Chinese new year, heralds the arrival of the ram.
our lunar Brunch is a chance for everyone to try
out classical oriental cuisine (gado gado, sayur
Asam, ikan bakar jimbaran, Beef randang) while
being entertained by lion dancers in an authentic
environment. the beverage selection includes
special oolong tea and coffee, mango juice, chichi and Beijing Bellini.

loCAtion: Brasserie & Atrium restaurant

dAte: february 8, 12:00-16:00
priCe: Huf 8,900 per adult, 50% discount for children between 6 and 14
years old and complimentary for children under 6.

vAlentines dAy BrunCH

> masses of red roses, pink drinks and
handicrafted paper hearts... guess what,
valentines day Brunch is here! We have put
together low carb light meals to help maintain a
trim figure, organic dishes for healthy eating, five
fantastic non-alcoholic fruit punches, delicious
pink Bellinis (a splash of strawberry coulis mixed
with sparkling wine), and for the gents,
testarossa (Campari and vodka). the Csics Band
will move from table to table playing requests
for favorite love melodies. make this valentines
day really special!

loCAtion: Brasserie & Atrium restaurant

dAte: february 15, 12:00-16:00
priCe: Huf 8,900 per adult, 50% discount for children between 6 and 14
years old and complimentary for children under 6.

Honey fest BrunCH

> nothing is as sweet as honey, and our
busy bees are preparing a beautiful lunch
with speciality dedicated foods. guest are
met at the hive entrance by a costumed
queen Bee and invited to sip on honey
beer and partake of delicious honeymarinated meats and desserts. A band
comes up with some lively music to get
you buzzing, and the kids have their own
bee handicrafts corner.

loCAtion: Brasserie & Atrium restaurant

dAte: february 22, 12:00-16:00
priCe: Huf 8,900 per adult, 50% discount for children between 6 and 14
years old and complimentary for children under 6.

HungAriCum BrunCH
le BAr is An elegAnt lounge BAr, An ideAl venue for friendly CHAts,
informAl Business meetings or drinKs for tWo. A tAlented resident piAnist
CreAted A CoZy, relAxed AtmospHere. musiC lovers CAn Also disCover A
quAlity seleCtion of musiCAl And CulturAl events Hosted regulArly At le
BAr, liKe dj nigHt on fridAys or sAlon musiC on sAturdAys.
BArtenders offer in feBruAry:

CArnivAl CoCKtAils
le Bar
february 2 28, 18:00-1:00

february is the time for feasting and carnivals and we would like
to offer guests some colourful and exciting cocktails. travel to
italy with our tour guide Bartender and sample special cocktails
named after several types of traditional italian masks: Colombina,
Arlecchino, Burattino, dottore and Capitano. When preparing
these cocktails, we use a wide range of fabbri syrups.

> maybe you have started to draw a

picture in your mind about what
Hungaricum means? now you can meet
those unique Hungarian products you will
not find anywhere else in the world except
Hungary. dont be afraid, we wont bore
you with dry definitions or something
which has the smell of an encyclopaedia,
but instead the delicious scent of tokaj
wine, goulash, fish soup and salami.

loCAtion: Brasserie & Atrium restaurant

dAte: march 1, 12:00-16:00
priCe: Huf 8,900 per adult, 50% discount for children between 6 and 14
years old and complimentary for children under 6.

tABle reservAtion And furtHer informAtion: +36 1 479-4800 or cuisine.budapest@corinthia.com facebook.com/corinthiahotelbudapest

your
CORINTHIA
CORINTHIA HOTEL BUDAPEST
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progrAms in feBruAry
RECOMMENDED BY THE

CorintHiA Hotel BudApest

CONCIERGE TEAM
tams ungr
Chief Concierge

For further information and reservations, please contact the Concierge.

Busjrs moHCs
date: 12-17. february
> the Busjrs (Hungarian, meaning "Bus-walking"; in Croatian: pohod busara) is an annual
celebration of the sokci (Croats) living in the town of mohcs, Hungary, held at the end of the
Carnival season ("farsang"), ending the day before Ash Wednesday. the celebration features Buss
(people wearing traditional masks) and includes folk music, masquerading, parades and dancing.
Busjrs lasts six days, usually during february. it starts on a thursday, followed by the Kisfarsang
(little farsang) carnival on friday, with the biggest celebration, farsang vasrnap (farsang sunday) on
the seventh sunday before easter sunday; the celebration then ends with farsangtemets (Burial of
farsang) on the following tuesday (shrove tuesday or mardi gras). these traditional festivities have
been inscribed on the representative list of the intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the
unesCo in 2009.

ACtivities
mAgiC BAtH in BudApest
> Budapest nightlife is special with the magic Bath party
series every saturday night in february. this is indeed a one
of a kind spa party (sparty), in the City of Baths. the location
in february is lukacs Baths, where on saturday nights the
thermal bath turns into a crazy party venue with laser show,
dj, cocktails, beers, mismatching bikinis!

exHiBitions
(until 15tH feBruAry )
> rembrandt and the dutch golden Age, a large-scale

exhibition to run in the museum of fine Arts surveys the

period of 17th-century dutch art, one of the golden ages of
european culture. the exhibition is built around rembrandt,
the greatest master of the period, by whom 20
masterpieces are on display. the exhibition showcases over
170 works by some 100 painters, of which 40 originate from the museum of fine Arts rich dutch
collection and 130 are contributed by private and public collections, with the most important
loaning institutions including the rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the national museum in
stockholm, the louvre in paris, the national gallery in london, the getty museum in los
Angeles, the metropolitan in new york, the uffizi in florence and the prado in madrid. A further
sensation of the exhibition is that in addition to the significant number of works by rembrandt
including the painting known as his earliest and his last self-portrait visitors can also view
three works by vermeer.

Are you plAnning to visit us AgAin?

treat yourself with one of our tempting offers and create lasting
memories with Corinthia Hotel Budapest.
Your next adventure starts here

see more At: Corinthia.com/Budapest inspire me

tABle reservAtion And furtHer informAtion: +36 1 479-4800 or cuisine.budapest@corinthia.com facebook.com/corinthiahotelbudapest

photos by

> if you are looking for a fun activity in Budapest in february,

ice skating is for you. there are several ice skating rinks in
Budapest but certainly the recently fully renovated City park
ice rink is the best of all. its a traditional winter experience
for Hungarians and tourists alike. this ice rink was open to
the public in december 1876 and since then skating has been
a favorite winter activity in Budapest. the City park ice rink is considered europe's largest and one
of the oldest outdoor ice skating rinks. in summer it becomes the City park lake. At night, the lights,
the music and the beautiful views of the romanesque, gothic, renaissance and Baroque
vajdahunyad Castle make ice skating in the City park a magical experience.

Dvid Harangoz (cover), Corinthia Hotel Budapest, Levente Herndi/index.hu, Shutterstock/Shebeko

iCe sKAting in BudApest